HANK DANISZEWSKI, QMI Agency

The Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), the union representing Bell Canada workers, says the company issued about 90 layoff notices to company employees in Ontario this week. The layoffs take effect Dec. 21.

Another 80 workers are affected by the consolidation and movement of work.

CEP said the announcement mainly affects workers in London, Toronto and Ottawa.

Bell Canada spokesperson Albert Lee said several Bell call centres that support business and wholesale customers are being centralized into fewer major locations in Quebec and Ontario over the next two months.

CEP administrative vice-president Barb Dolan said the cutback comes at a time when Bell Canada is trying to expand its media empire with renewed attempts to acquire Astral Media for $3.38 billion “while shedding jobs across Ontario through outsourcing, offshoring and displacing work.”